Overview

Gerlach is the highest peak in what has been call the “Smallest High Range in the World” and believe me it is true. The “High Tatra” (Vysoké Tatry) is the last major outcropping of the Carpathian Mountains and Gerlach is the highest peak in that rather long range as well for you peak baggers out there it is the highest peak in Slovakia.

Looking like a great pyramid when viewed from the valley far below Gerlach is an impressive mountain. It looks much taller than it is, as the vertical rise from the valley floor is well over 2000m and it sits further away from neaby mountains giveing a rather massif appeance to this peak.

The High Tatra is truly an alpine rock climber’s paradise since there are no nasty glaciers about and the snow is mostly gone by June, though it may linger in some of the shaded valleys until late August. There are literally hundreds of alpine rock and face climbs here and most of them have never been done by westerners even 10 years after the fall of the wall. Most importaly the rock quality is on a par with Yosemite and the routes are well established and protected.

Technically only a grade II to III climb when not snow covered it benefits greatly from a very well maintained mountain trail (Bergpfad) that leads to the summit along a standard route.

Most climbers using the more-technical route start from the Sliezskly Dom (Hut) and up and along the green trail until it reaches a lake about ½ way up the col. The path to the summit is on the opposite side of this lake and is marked with cairns. It basically follows a rather rough skree pile up to the main summit ridge and then easy ridge climbing to the top.

Once can then cross over the summit and meet up with another path comming up from the opposit valley. This route is more for the novice and guide as it is protected in places by chains and at one time ladders.

One thing that is nice about doing this climb is how quickly it seems to go. No sooner are you into the skree pile then you are out of it and on the ridge and then suddenly you are on top. It is no more that a 5km round trip.

Be warned, this is an alpine environment expect snow any time of the year and I found that the weather here closes in much faster that any other area that I have climbed in. It can be nice one moment but then minutes later you can be in the middle of a thunderstorm blowing up from the valley.

Another thing that will throw you a bit are the deceiving lines I clearly remember looking up a ridge and thinking there would be a nice walk along the top on it. When I got to it, it was a knife-edge with a 400m drop off the other side. Needless to say I went back to the marked trail. Because of the short distances involved it is very easy to climb yourself into trouble very quickly sometimes with no retreat possible.

Treat this peak and all of the others in the Tatras with respect and you will have a great time. Just think of them as very short 4kers. Treat them like 2000m hills and you will come to grief guaranteed.

Getting There

The best way to get to the High Tatra is to head in from Bratislava (Vienna) or Pragh by taking the train to Poprad which is the major city in the area some 25km away. There is very good bus and rail service from this city to the Tatra and it is cheap.

Head for Starý Smokovec or Tatranská Polianka two small villages near differing trailheads for the Sliezskly Dom.

There are plenty of cheap hotels, pensions and huts in the area.

Red Tape

The “High Tatra” is a National park, UN Bioheritage area and a Eourpean BioHheritage area and very proudly so. It is one of the last wild places is Central Europe were a glimpse of an Ibex, Steenbok, or Chamois is the norm rather than the exception. I have seen bears in the open, which to us NAs is nothing great, but a very very rare site in Europe.

Why is it like this? Mainly because of very very strict regulation and a very very strong local ethic. For example, you are not allowed to even step off a trail and there are no exceptions to this rule. You will get a fine if caught or worse a scolding in Slovak by any local who catches you.

This said the only official climbing that is allowed is under the direction of a guide or by someone who has “certification from a national mountaineering organization”. Basically anyone who is a member of the UIAA, I used my Alpine Club of Canada card and was OK.

There are areas that are out of bounds even with a guide and they are as follows“The Javorinska Siroka mountain to Zabi vrch, Javorovy vrch, the Rovienky and Svistova valleys, the mouth of the Bielovodská valley and the Mlynar mountain including the Zaba valley. The southern border of this area is described by the line from the Velky Zabi peak, the tarn Ceské pleso, the Hviezdoslav waterfall, the tarn Litvorové pleso and Prielom. “

Check out the Section on Climbing regulation for more exact details.

The red tape also makes a good deal of sense since they have an excellent record for safety and have lost very few tourists over the years. They simply do not allow the inexperienced into the peaks making it a much safer place for all of us.

That said the people are friendly and helpful just respect their park.

When To Climb

Late June and early August as there are heavy storms in late summer. Earlier than this there is poor snow on top.

The actual best season is early to mid October just before the snow arrives.

In winter it is a true alpine climb with some avalanche danger but very challenging with mixed climbing all the way.

Camping

Absolutely no camping is permitted in the park.

There are campsites lower down the mountain in designated areas.

In the Belovodska Valley, near Polana Pod Vysokou, there is a camp site reserved just for members of UIAA clubs.

Links

What's In a Name

The name comes from the simple fact that a village named Gerlachov once sat at its foot.

What I can tell you is, the peak has a very odd history. For the longest time it was not coincided the highest peak in the range, there is still the odd atlas out there today that has it wrong.

It was not until 1838 that a local Gamekeeper named L'udovy Greiner took a barometer reading from near the summit that it was discovered to be the highest in the range. The scientific community largely discredited this and it wasn't until 1868 that an Austrian Army Survey Party proved it was the highest peak when they made the first ‘official’ climb of the mountain.

Even then an accurate measurement was not actually made until 1927 when the original 1838 (2652) estimate was found to be surprisingly accurate at when compaired to the accepted height of 2655.

I think it is also the peak that has been the highest point of more countries than any other in the last century.

It started as the highest point in Hungary (Austria-Hungary I know) until 1918, then it became the highest point in the first Czechoslovakia until it was very briefly the highest point in Poland from 1938-39, next it was the highest point in the Government General until after the war in 1945. It was again the highest point in Czechoslovakia, until 1968 when it became the highest point in the Czech and Slovak Socialist Republic, then in 1990 it was the highest point in the Czech and Slovak Federated Republic and finally it rounded out the century as the highest point in Slovakia in 1993.

Mountains and boarders you have to love them.

Climbing Regulations

Here is a better update which I got from a climbing parnter in slovakia

The following rules apply for all climbers in all parts of TANAP (Tatra Nation Park) in both Slovakia and Poland.

Only persons who are members of a National UIAA Club are allowed to climb in the TANAP.

Climbers are allowed to enter the climbing areas only with the purpose of climbing on the routes with grade higher than II (YDS 5.5), on condition that they use the least dangerous way to reach the wall base and abide the nature protection laws. Routes with a grade of less than I (YDS 1~4) and II (YDS 5~5.5) or below, can be used only during the summer and only for descent.

Every climber is obliged to possess a valid ID from his club with him at all times. Foreign climber are also required to posses their passports.

Only the licensed climbing instructors (Local UIAGM Guides) are entitled to climb with a person who is not a member of a UIAA Club. (Special permission can be granted by TANAP headquarters to allow non climbers access.)

Camping outside the shelters (Huts) is not allowed. In exceptional cases it is allowed to set a bivouac during the expedition with prior permission form TANP headquartes. Only true emergency bivouacs are allowed and all are to be reported and are subject to summary investigation. There is the camping area at Polana pod Wysok¹ clearing in Dolina Bia³ej Wody valley that is reserved for climbers only.

Climbers are obliged to leave a message where and which route they plan to climb. It should be written in the Exit Book (Trail Register) in the shelter(Hut), base camp or trail head where the climb originates. After a lapse of 6 hours from the planned return time is reached the alarm is raised and HS (Rescue Service) starts a rescue operation. When an organized group is involved, after the alarm time, the group leader is obliged to start the rescue with the other group members (You are obliged to retreat to a safe area after this time and make contact with the Rescue Service).

During the time when the trails are closed for the other users, from 1 November to 30 June, climbers can use those trails to reach the wall base. They can also ski to ease the ascent but only for the purpose of climbing, not to perform the ski-alpinism.

The following areas are closed to climbing and tourism, except the marked trails leading through them:

Stawkowska valley with its rocky walls up to Granaty Wielickie peaks inclusively. The ascent on the peaks of Granaty Wielickie is closed to climbers and guides.

Stwolska valley, bordered from North by the crest of Têpa - Koñczysta peaks and from South by Magistrala Tatrzañska trail

The area of Krywañ peak with the adjacent crests and valleys, such as Niewcyrka valley, Krywañskie Koryto, Szkaradny Zleb gully, Walecka valley; the north-eastern border is the crest of Hruby peak, and the eastern border is formed by the crest from the saddle to Ostra peak

Tatry Zachodnie (Western Tatry) - except the winter route along the main crest of Tatry from 21 December to 21 March, which must be reported to HS TANAP Tatry Zachodnie - South or North, climbing activity is forbidden with an exception of training rocks meant for research purposes in the nature reserves.

Maps

It is now possible to get good quality (both accurate and standardized) topo and hiking~trail maps of Slovakia. A good series of maps can be obtained fromVKU. There are no English maps yet but a few are in German and all have multilingual legends. Both 1:50000 and 1:25000 maps are available for a reasonable price.

Additions and Corrections

I cover off this in the red tabe section at the bottom of the Page. But you are quite correct the regulation is becomming more enforeced now and it is no longer possiable to just go up there with your UIAA membership card in your pocket. You will have to get premission from park authorites before you set out. Not hard to do and still free as of summer 2002.

There is no one reason to climb Gerlach with a licensed monopolist TANAP guide. If you are familiar with III and IV grade UIAA routes, and a member of any UIAA organization (or similar) you do not need any guide. The only trouble is, if so-called guides meet you at classic route graded II UIAA, that is usually used only for descending from the summit. Thus, chose other one.

I cover off this in the red tabe section at the bottom of the Page. But you are quite correct the regulation is becomming more enforeced now and it is no longer possiable to just go up there with your UIAA membership card in your pocket. You will have to get premission from park authorites before you set out. Not hard to do and still free as of summer 2002.

There is no one reason to climb Gerlach with a licensed monopolist TANAP guide. If you are familiar with III and IV grade UIAA routes, and a member of any UIAA organization (or similar) you do not need any guide. The only trouble is, if so-called guides meet you at classic route graded II UIAA, that is usually used only for descending from the summit. Thus, chose other one.

1. amend the name of the peak as proposed by Thomas. Gerlach is only a nickname. But it is not very important

2. difficulty of the routes:

- from Velická dolina through Velický žlab (I)

- from Batizovská dolina through Batizovský žlab (I)

(both of them are in some extent so-called via ferrata)

there is another easier route leading from the other side (north), much better than the previous ones, longer and less populated and a little bit harder, it is called "Martinovka" leads from the col "Polský hreben" all over the ridge throug Velický štít, Litvorový štít, Zadný Gerlachovský štít to the summit of Gerlachovský štít, difficulty is in some limited places around III. And there is more climbing and less walking. Be carefull, it is a long way and very limited exit possibilities (You must know very precisely where to leave the ridge (in case of bad weather) and not to finish in the middle of the wall above huge cliffs below you.

I would like to highlight the following link: http://www.tatry.nfo.sk/stite.php. That is a climbing guide ( not complete, but there are a lot of other more difficult routes) in English version. I personaly propose S-W Face for summer climbing. Many routes, very good quality of the rock. 400 metres. Look at the guide mentioned higher. For winter climbing I would propose E-Face. It is very long, technicaly difficult, the rock is not so good, but in winter it is usually frozen. There are many difficult mix routes in a grade V-VI.

For extreme skiers I put into attention the long steep and spectacular and demanding "Krcmárov kuloár" in the E-Face. 50 degrees, going through the whole E-Face from the Batizovská priehyba.

All informations on trains in Slovakia can be found on the page: www.zsr.sk. Available in English and German version as well. Just type in the right up window destinations and it will give you complete info, including price (and including trains from Vienna /Austria/).

According to TANAP national park visitors rules, climbing in High Tatras is meant doing grade III and more. Velicka and Batizovska routes on Gerlach is in grade I or II. These routes (grade I and II) are for descending.If you climb any other route (apart of Velicka or Batizovska) there is no problem. I climbed Gerlach maybe 20 times in sommer or winter. Mostly I descended through Batizovska route and never had any problem.

Hello. I am writing to find information about my great, great grandfather, Jan Hronec, who lived in Mlynica (Stary Smokovec), and who apparently was the first climber to fall to his death at the age of eighty (80) years old on Gerlachovsky Stit on May 5, 1886. I believe that he may have been one of the original mountain guides for Gerlachovsky Stit. Any information would be gratefully appreciated. Please feel free to write me directly at David1Law@aol.com (the "1" is a "one"). Thank you.

The impressive massif of Gerlachovský štít (2655 m) is the highest summit in the Tatras and the whole Carpathian range. This peculiarity proved irresistible to early climbers, who included the famous alpinist Mór Dechy in 1874. Apparently, the first recorded ascent was that made by Johann Still with some companions and chamois hunters in 1834. Towards the end of the nineteenth century Gerlach attracted many mountaineers, but until 1905 it remained without winter ascent. On March 29, 1902 a German party attempted to complete a winter climb, but failed to go beyond 2550 m. Hundred years ago, on January 15, 1905 Gerlachovský štít was scaled for the first time in winter by Janusz Chmielowski (Poland) and Károly Jordán (Hungary) -- both widely regarded as first class "taterniks". They were supported by three local guides: Johann Franz, Paul Spitzkopf and Klimek Bachleda.

The party started from the Silesian Hut (1670 m), located near the S.E. foot of the mountain. The route taken followed the Karczmar's Couloir, a prominent snow gully some 500 metre high and by 800 metre long. Crampons and ice-axes (1,20 m long!) were essential. Johann Franz climbed first, cutting hundreds of steps in steep and hard snow. The principal difficulties were in the upper part of the gully which steepened to over 65°. The team reached the ridge (2550 m) by 10 a.m. From the ridge steep rock and mixed ground led towards the summit. Snow conditions were good and the weather remained fine, although it was very cold (up to -25°C). After 7 hours of continuous progress the team gained the summit at 1.30 p.m. All five members of the party were able to stand on the highest point. The summit cairn was covered with deep snow. The length of the route, its difficulty and exposure, extreme winter conditions and short daylight in mid-January make the ascent a very serious undertaking. Unfortunately, there was no time left to enjoy the glorious view from the summit.

For descent they opted for the western flank of the mountain, using the Batizovská valley route and descending with Klimek Bachleda in the lead. They returned to the Silesian House by 6.45 p.m., exhausted after the gruelling twelve hour's effort. Although completed in ancient climbing style, this was the most outstanding winter expedition in the Tatras up to those days and one of most significant in the history of Tatra mountaineering. A comprehensive report appeared in the 1905 issue of the Yearbook of the Hungarian Carpathian Association (Magyarországi Kárpátegyesület, Ungarischer Karpathen-Verein). In 1896 the Hungarian authority renamed Gerlachovský štít (Gerlsdorfer Spitze) in Ferencz József csúcs to honour the Austrian emperor Franz Josef I.